Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login
The John Byrne Forum
Byrne Robotics > The John Byrne Forum Page of 4 Next >>
Topic: JLA: the Tenth Circle Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message
Andy Mokler
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 20 January 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 2799
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 5:17am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Recently picked up this TPB and just finished reading it.  I enjoyed it quite a bit but it brings up the question of Superman and magic(again).  In this instance it is written that Superman has a unique vulnerability to magic.

I was under the impression that he was just as susceptible to magic as humans but this makes it sound as if he is more so.  Also, would a vampire's bite be consider a magical act or a physical act?  I'd imagine that a vampire's teeth would break before penetrating Superman's skin(kind of like Baron Blood biting into Cap's chain mail).

Second, was this panel:

Robotman's strength is on par with Superman's?  That seems way too powerful.  If they could just make robots that strong, why wouldn't they do just that?
Back to Top profile | search e-mail
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 6:10am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

Funny—that’s what editors used to be for.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 09 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1356
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 8:46am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Like if you cast a spell that does the same type and
amount of damage as a bullet, would it affect Superman
and a human standing next to him the same way (Superman
reduced to human level), or hurting the human and
bouncing off Superman's chest?

I found this weakness to magic confusing most often.

Edited by Thomas Woods on 18 February 2019 at 8:47am
Back to Top profile | search | www
 
Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 09 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1356
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 8:58am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

To add to my previous post, you could say the magic
bullet does the same damage as a regular bullet (the
magic part in the equation is the caster didn't have
to go buy a real bullet, him being able to summon the
attack is what makes it magic).

Or you could say it damages the human normally but
does x10 damage to Superman, or x200 damage to
Superman

There would still have to be a threshold of damage
before it actually hurt Superman.

Or it applies full damage as if Superman were a human.
Back to Top profile | search | www
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 9:30am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Superman is vulnerable to magic in the same way we’re ALL vulnerable to magic. Magic defies the laws of physics.

This is the same kind of confusion we see in writers who think coating something in lead renders it INVISIBLE to Superman. (I addressed that nonsense in my Joker story.)

Back to Top profile | search
 
Darren Taylor
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 22 April 2004
Location: Scotland
Posts: 5994
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 10:24am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

" (I addressed that nonsense in my Joker story.)"-JB

You addressed that nonsense wonderfully in your Joker story.
Back to Top profile | search | www e-mail
 
Michael Roberts
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 20 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 14811
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 11:55am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

To add to my previous post, you could say the magic  bullet does the same damage as a regular bullet (the  magic part in the equation is the caster didn't have  to go buy a real bullet, him being able to summon the  attack is what makes it magic).

——

This would affect Superman in the same way a regular bullet would. 
Back to Top profile | search
 
Thomas Woods
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 09 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1356
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 12:04pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Well I was trying to come up with the proper
conclusion, which I think is:

-The bullet does not get bonus damage vs Superman
-Superman still gets his resistance to bullets
-Any change in those two are barely noticeable, but
something like Shazam's lightning in Kingdom come
would be more noticeable because it is way more
powerful, even though Superman is still resistant to
lightning.

-Just to be safe, Superman should use his super speed
to dodge it, in this way he is not affected at all.

Back to Top profile | search | www
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 12:07pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

No. If a magician used magic to propel a normal bullet, it would bounce off. If it was, on the other hand, literally a MAGIC bullet, it could potentially kill Superman.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 28 July 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 30832
Posted: 18 February 2019 at 1:38pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Crucifer is such a cool name. 
Back to Top profile | search
 
Eric Sofer
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 31 January 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 4789
Posted: 19 February 2019 at 8:55am | IP Logged | 11 post reply

RE: Superman and magic. I think people look at it backwards.  "He's Superman... but a magic lightning bolt can knock him for a loop!:

Turn it around. A lightning bolt, magical or not, will hurt any normal human. A magical lightning bolt will ALSO hurt Superman... but a regular lightning bolt won't affect him at all.

Exactly as Mr. Byrne notes... magic affect Superman the way it affects everything else. Its specialty is that other things don't affect Superman. Like ultrasonics, for example.

Geez, that seems kinda Captain Obvious... but it seems that some folks don't get it. So excuse me if you think I'm explaining what to you seems obvious. It may not be to everyone.
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 19 February 2019 at 8:59am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

So excuse me if you think I'm explaining what to you seems obvious. It may not be to everyone.

••

Sadly, I think this is something MOST people don't get.

Back to Top profile | search
 

Page of 4 Next >>
  Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login